Former Armenian PM warns of 'erosion of national identity' ahead of elections

Former Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan, the leader of the Armenian National Democratic Union, warned that Armenia could gradually lose key elements of its national identity if the ruling Civil Contract party wins the June 7 parliamentary elections.

In a statement released on Monday, Manukyan stressed the elections would be decisive, expressing concern that opposition forces appear to be treating them as ordinary.

He said his party had proposed that opposition groups form two or three coordinated electoral alliances built around a single shared manifesto outlining common ideas and strategy. Such coordination, he added, would serve as a counterweight to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s “destructive program”.

Manukyan argued that the current administration has “exhausted itself”, warning that its re-election would lead to a gradual erosion of national will and identity, and diminish the country’s chances of building a “prosperous, free, secure and proudly advancing independent state”.

He said multiple opposition groups are offering different approaches to overcoming the country’s challenges and preventing the government’s return to power, noting that his party has supported those efforts.

Manukyan stressed the importance of avoiding a fragmentation of votes and urged citizens to participate actively in the elections.

He added that his party does not intend to run independently or formally join any existing electoral bloc, but will instead support opposition forces whose platforms align with its core principles, including independence, sovereignty, national security, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and strengthening ties with global Armenian institutions.

“Victory for the opposition is possible,” Manukyan said, adding that regardless of the election outcome, his party would continue to pursue its long-standing political objectives.